Former Amherst star Peter Rose gets second chance at football

Peter Rose once feared his football career was over. It appears James Madison University will give him another chance to play.

Rose, the former Amherst star who had his scholarship offer to Virginia Tech rescinded last May when he was charged with selling drugs to an undercover Amherst County Sheriff’s deputy, said Tuesday that he accepted a full scholarship offer to play for the Dukes in the fall.

He has yet to sign any official paperwork, and according to JMU athletic director Jeff Bourne, is still going through the application process, but if all goes as planned, Rose said he would report to the school Aug. 9.

The Dukes open practice for the 2009 season Aug. 10.

“At one point in time I was stressing about it pretty bad, real bad,” Rose said of the prospect of never playing again. “But I just prayed a lot and just thanked God that a couple of schools were still interested in me and talking to me and were willing to give me a second chance.

“I guess God saw in me that I was sorry for what I had done and everything, and he was willing to give me a second chance. Pretty much now I just need to get out here and prove myself.”

The 6-foot-1 Rose, a quarterback and defensive back who helped lead the Lancers to back-to-back Group AA, Division 4, championships in 2006-07, doesn’t know what position he’ll play in college, but that’s not a pressing matter at this point.

“I just want to play. It doesn’t matter. Anything. Anything, as long as I’m there to put that helmet back on,” he said.

Rose said he also had recent scholarship offers to Liberty and Morgan State, and he considered going to Fork Union Military Academy, but in the end, the chance to play with older brother Jonathan, a sophomore strong safety for the Dukes, for a Football Championship Series title contender was the best fit.

“It’s definitely a blessing. All this time off just makes me hungry, pretty much,” he said. “It’s been so long. I’m just glad that JMU has given me a second chance to be able to prove myself and just let me get out here and do what I love.”

Rose was found guilty in a trial earlier this year of two felony charges of selling drugs within 1,000 feet of a school and two misdemeanor charges of selling marijuana, but he ended up, after sentencing, with only misdemeanor convictions and a 30-day sentence.

At Rose’s sentencing, Judge Michael Gamble said he would dismiss a remaining felony drug charge as long as he completes 100 hours of community service, undergoes a substance abuse assessment and any required treatment, remains on good behavior and passes any drug tests.

Gamble also said he would consider suspending some of those requirements should Rose be accepted into college.

Bourne confirmed to the Harrisonburg Daily News on Tuesday that Rose is an applicant to the school.

“His admission to the university is still pending,” Bourne told the newspaper. “He’s still formally in the application process.”

A contrite Rose said Tuesday that he has come out of his recent hardships with a new perspective on life.

“A lot of people turned their backs on me. A lot of people just don’t even deal with you anymore,” said Rose, who accounted for 41 touchdowns his senior season at Amherst en route to winning Group AA player of the year honors. “It pretty much makes you a stronger person. It took me from a young man to a grown man, I would say.

“It was just so much adversity. You have to deal with it. You can’t just sit down and mope and cry about it, because it’s not going to get any better unless you do something about it and prove yourself to everybody, and more than everybody you have to prove it to yourself, because if there’s a lot of people doubting on you, it makes you doubt on yourself at times.

“I’m way past that. I’m way over that. Pretty much now, I’m a new man. I’m trying to come out here and get this football season started.”